Want to Level Up Your Winter Birding? Know Your Conifers

In the coldest months, when birds seem scarce, look to your native conifers. These hardy trees and shrubs are a winter lifeline for birds and other wildlife. Birds feast on evergreen seeds and sap—plus the insects the plants attract—and take shelter in the branches when many other trees are bare. Some specialized birds (looking at you, Spruce Grouse) even eat the tough, waxy needles.

Learning to distinguish the major varieties of native evergreens can help you hone your winter observations and deepen your appreciation of the seasonal dynamics between birds and native plants. Get hyperlocal: Many bird species visit several types of conifers, so pay attention to which birds in your area flock to which kinds of trees, and see if you can pinpoint what draws them.

While a trained eye may be able to identify conifers by subtle differences in their cones, bark, and overall shape, the easiest way to distinguish the major groups of native evergreens is to take a close look at the tree's needles—and alliterative mnemonics can help you keep them straight.

You can find native conifers growing wild or in parks, and depending on where you live and your growing space, you can grow many varieties at home. Check out Audubon's Native Plants Database to explore all the plants suited to your area and your local birds, including evergreens.

Pine

A surefire way to tell if you’re looking at a pine tree is to check its plural needles, which always grow in clusters or “packets,” usually in groups of two, three, or five. Some species split open cones to eat the seeds, and many nest in pine trees.

Who loves them: Clark’s Nutcracker, Calliope Hummingbird, Red Crossbill

Spruce

Handle with care! Compared to other conifers, spruce needles are stiff and spiky. But with a distinctive four-sided, or square, shape, the needles will roll easily between your fingers, another useful clue for identification. Many birds seek spruces’ nutrient-dense seeds.

Who loves them: Evening Grosbeak, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco

Fir

Fir needles are flat and flexible—a “friendly” handful compared to pricklier evergreens like spruce. Look closely to admire a unique feature: Each needle attaches to the branch with a base that resembles a suction cup. Dense branches offer refuge for birds in winter.

Who loves them: Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Spotted Owl

Hemlock

At first glance hemlocks look a lot like firs, but instead of sucker-like attachments, each needle sprouts from a thin stem: "hems have stems." Hemlock needles are also typically shorter, and you'll sometimes find needles of varying lengths on the same branch.

Who loves them: Black-throated Green Warbler, Acadian Flycatcher, Hermit Thrush

Cedar 

Now that you know your conifers, you'll see at once what's unusual: Instead of needles, North America’s native “cedars” (actually cypresses) have flat, scaly leaves. Birds eat the cones as well as resident insects like carpenter ants.

Who loves them: Cedar Waxwing, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Pileated Woodpecker

This story originally ran in the Winter 2024 issue as “Know Your Conifers!” To receive our print magazine, become a member by making a donation today.